1200 caloies and don't feel hungry....

jennylsapia

I am having a REALLY hard time getting to 1200 calories with my exercise.(I alternate between walking and zumba) I have read many many times that if you don't eat enough you will not lose the weight. I don't feel hungry and I don't feel light headed or ill. When I am hungry I eat. I feel like I am eating more than I was before I started to change my health life. Someone please help me understand this. I am eating better food...such as grilled instead of fried, baked with no skin or breading and no bread/pasta/rice so I know I am eating less calories but I don't want want to be overeating or undereating. I WANT THIS WEIGHT OFF!!!!! If anyone could help me I would appreciate it!!!

hottottie11

Try more calorie dense foods...add a handful of nuts, cook with olive oil, eat full fat cheeses and milk.

grapenutSF

protein powder + PB + milk... whirl it all together and you get lots of healthy cals & it doesn't require much food. I have to admit I do not have this problem you speak of. Big appetite girl here.

Molly182

I wish had that problem. MFP has me on 1200 calories, and I feel so deprived most days

vmwmvb

I have the same problem...I don't eat if I am not hungry but I eat more dense food to try and make up for that

Sp1nGoddess

I don't have this problem... try adding healthy fats and protein. if you feel you are losing fat than good for you! If not maybe try upping your calories a bit to compensate for your activity level.

I'm always impressed with anyone who can keep at 1200 or below.. I don't function well at 1450 or below...

cappi_18

you need to be eating 1200 cals per day and burning back at least 500 cals. so 300 cals for breakfast, lunch and dinner and 150cals morning and arvo snacks.

TheMissingSock

I have the same problem! I'm not exercising myself to death or anything. i walk a track for 1 hour each day, other than that i'm a housewife, so some days are busier than others.
i'm eating smarter/better/healthier too, and with the exercise i'm supposed to be eating 2200 calories a day? there's no way! i always have calories left over at the end of the day. like you, i eat when i'm hungry - lunch, dinner & snacks. (i know i should eat breakfast, but i just can't do anything but coffee for a few hours in the morning)
i drink my water, i get my protein, etc., i feel great - do i really have to eat all that?

TheMissingSock

you need to be eating 1200 cals per day and burning back at least 500 cals. so 300 cals for breakfast, lunch and dinner and 150cals morning and arvo snacks.

so, if i'm reading this right, the calorie deficit is only 700 per day then? Or are you saying add 500 to the 1200 because of the exercise?

airlily

It will creep up on you. After eating about 1200/day for three months, I am suddenly starving this week. I'm about to give in this weekend and eat up to 1600.

dpowell58

I completely understand what you're saying. I, too, have the same problem. Some days I have problems just getting to the 1200. I don't even attempt to eat all the extra "exercise" calories that MFP says I need to eat but on those days I do allow myself a little more. My "more" usually consists of a cut up apple and a small tub of Sweet Lava Fat Free Caramel. It tastes sinful but doesn't add a ton of calories. As suggested by hottottie11, a handful of nuts are good. Popcorn or kellogg's cracker chips can be great if you like salty, crunchy.
Good luck

shrdlicka23

I'm in the same boat. I never deprive myself but I don't feel like eating a spoon of peanut butter when I'm not hungry just to get my calorie count up. If I'm hungry, I eat. I also eat very healthy and get my protein, fat, simple and complex carbs and fiber. I'm not going to eat 90g of protein a day when I know that isn't good for my current activity level. Plus when you add exercise, the calories burned isn't accurate. I eat 1000-1200 a day and a little more one day of the week. To me, I don't see the point of eating back exercise calories. Aren't you burning them for a reason? Why workout to lose calories if you are just going to eat them back in a handful of nuts? Does not compute. Not everyone is created equal and I've lost 30 lbs working out and eating 1200 healthy calories a day. I say try it and if you aren't losing then maybe you do need to up it. Personally, I don't need to eat 1500-2000 a day.

fightingautism

When I first started my weight loss (60lbs prior to finding mfp) I didn't get hungry a lot at first. Don't know how much you have to lose, but most of us if more than a few lbs overweight ate when we weren't hungry, and far beyond what our bodies needed. It could take a few wks for you to feel genuine hunger. Also, when your intestines are really, really empty, sometimes you're hungry less than if you were eating as your blood glucose stablizes. If you've ever had to do a colon cleanse for a medical procedure or fast you may have noticed you weren't really all that hungry. Many who have gastric bypass report losing a sense of hunger. It's thought it could be from being empty/not having stomach stretched to maintaining reasonable glucose levels to the nerves that signal the brain to get hungry being cut.

Jeaniehop

I have the same problem I eat alot.. I know I am not starving myself and I feel great but I come in right at 1200 cal myself so I guess do what works for you.

auntiebabs

I never seem to be hungry on days I work out, but the next day I'm starving.

It took me a while to realize that it's not really a big deal if I eat lighter on my work out days and eat my exercise calories the next day when I really want them.

jennylsapia

When I first started my weight loss (60lbs prior to finding mfp) I didn't get hungry a lot at first. Don't know how much you have to lose, but most of us if more than a few lbs overweight ate when we weren't hungry, and far beyond what our bodies needed. It could take a few wks for you to feel genuine hunger. Also, when your intestines are really, really empty, sometimes you're hungry less than if you were eating as your blood glucose stablizes. If you've ever had to do a colon cleanse for a medical procedure or fast you may have noticed you weren't really all that hungry. Many who have gastric bypass report losing a sense of hunger. It's thought it could be from being empty/not having stomach stretched to maintaining reasonable glucose levels to the nerves that signal the brain to get hungry being cut.

I am 26 years old and weight 245. I have about 100 pound to lose. And yes I ate when I was depressed I ate when I was stressed, I ate just because I hadn't eaten in a couple of hours....so I don't want to over eat I know that is why I am as big as I am now. But I don't want to get discouraged because I am not losing because I am not eating enough (just started a week ago).

Thanks for everyones help. I think I will try the 1200 for a few weeks and see if I lose. If not then I will try uping the calories!